A Memorial for a Drag Weeker: Jake Brantner Leaves Behind an Extended Family of Racers

Drag Week Winner Jake Brantner Did Some Pretty Neat Stuff During His Too-Short Life. He’ll Be Missed.

HOT ROD Drag Weekend is Presented by Gear Vendors Under/Overdrive

We’re prepared to write the story of a racer who dies behind the wheel, although we dread having to do so. Much better is to hear that a hot rodder died of old age after a long and fulfilling life, but even that is unwelcome news. We know nobody can live forever, but every death is a loss to us. The hot rod community needs every member. That’s why this memorial to HOT ROD Drag Week veteran Jake Brantner has taken so long to go up. We just didn’t want to believe it was true. Jake was murdered in an attempted robbery on April 3, 2016. The details are sad, and they are unrelated to what made Jake such a popular figure in the racing scene, so instead of repeating them, we’re going to talk a bit about Jake’s racing, his fabrication skills, and the car folks who miss him.

Jake and his racing buddy Scott Smith first came to HOT ROD Drag Week in 2011. They won the Street Race Big-Block Power Adder with Scott’s Malibu powered by Jake’s 509ci Steve Morris Procharged engine. There were high points during that first Drag Week—like running a 7.82 at 182 mph, and some low points, like when Travis Gilpin in a 1968 Camaro rolled by the Malibu on the return road and his open parachute caught the door of the ’Bu and bent it backwards. Travis got a new nickname that day, although he still claims (jokingly) that Scott opened the door into the Camaro’s ’chute. “It still makes me sick to think about,” Travis says. “I offered to pay for it, but Jake just smiled and said ‘Oh, don’t worry about it.’” That’s the kind of guy Jake was, he knew that friendships were more valuable than sheetmetal.

The Brantner/Smith team returned to Drag Week in 2013 with a car so fast it was too fast for Scott’s NHRA license and they kept having to slow it down so they wouldn’t get kicked off the track. They were plagued by gremlins and didn’t make the finish, but they still had a good time. In 2015 they were back again, this time in a Procharged S-10. Jake was a very talented fabricator and mechanic, and when he wasn’t working on his car, he was helping someone else with theirs, so almost everyone on Drag Week has a Jake story, from him writing “to-do” lists on the car with a Sharpie to him falling asleep under a car while working on it during one of the inevitable late-night thrashes. He was known for a firm handshake and a killer sense of humor.

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“Jake was never too busy to talk to you and could start up a conversation with almost anyone,” says Scott. “If it wasn’t for Jake I wouldn’t have half the friends I do. He is going to be sorely missed as I’m sure you can tell. His family is devastated; as much as he loved cars he loved his family more. He was always excited to leave on a racing trip but always homesick after just a day two.”

Several of Jake’s friends sent us photos of their cars showcasing his skills with cages, supercharging, and custom machining. It’s nice to think that his work can keep racing. As Chris Maggard told us, “I’m honored to have his work keeping me safe when I race. He did our ’cage years ago it’s beautiful. I’ll touch a bar for him every time I get into that car.”

If you’d like to see more of Jake’s work, share a Jake story or find out how to donate to help his family, go to the Jake Brantner Memorial Page on Facebook. Bring some tissues ’cause you’re gonna laugh like crazy at some of the posts and then you might find something in your eye or something. It’s dusty. People really liked this guy for good reason, and we will all miss him.